Imagine where we’d all be if nobody ever embraced change. All our roads would still be straight, we’d be commuting on horse-back rather than cars, and you’d be reading this from a book in the library, rather than from our website.

New Bathroom Plumbing Techniques

Change is an inevitable part of life, but still something that many plumbers and installers continue to resist. Take plumbing bathrooms as an example. Despite the growing use of plastic fittings & pipe for first-fix plumbing, many professionals still use copper fittings when it comes to second-fix jobs.

If plastic delivers the best result for first-fix, why wouldn’t you use it when plumbing bathrooms?

For many, it’s simply a case of habit; they’ve always used copper, and always will. Yet, just like straight roads and horses, there will come a time when plumbers needs would evolve beyond traditional methods.

Flexible Plastic Pipes – Getting you out of a Tight Space

The biggest design hurdle in bathrooms is typically space, or rather, lack of it – take plumbing a bath as an example. Space is already tight enough without tools taking up yet more space.

When working with flexible plastic pipes, it is possible to use long lengths, which can easily be cut and joined to the bath using two Speedfit flexi-hoses. Contrast this with the tap spanner, blow lamp, flux solder, bending machine and variety of additional fittings required to plumb the bath with copper pipes and you can see why working in tight spaces is so much easier with plastic push-fits.

Better Bathroom Plumbing Aesthetics

A growing focus on aesthetics is driving a change in attitudes when it comes to bathroom plumbing. Homeowners want their bathrooms to look clean and attractive, a finish that is difficult to achieve with copper. Cumbersome copper pipes tarnish with age and often have flux stains. When exposed, copper pipes can collect dirt and dust, leaving a less-than-picturesque view for bathrooms.

Plastic on the other hand, is clean, aesthetically pleasing, and easier to conceal behind walls and sinks, making it a more effective option for bathroom installations.

Adapting to Changing Consumer Tastes

In many cases, customers are purchasing bathroom accessories for which copper pipes and fittings are unfit for purpose, prompting a move in favour of plastic. For example, more people are opting for lever-operated taps as a design choice. These open and close very quickly when compared with old-fashioned screw operated open & shut taps. The sudden opening and closing of lever-operated taps creates a sudden disruption in the flow of water, causing copper pipework to vibrate and expand, resulting in noise throughout the building. Plastic pipes do not have the same effect and can more effectively handle sudden changes in water flow.

Long-term Reliability

The last thing a customer wants is for their bathroom to be out of action because of a leak or any associated plumbing issue. As a result, installers are looking for plumbing products that are highly reliable and effective.

Plastic fittings and pipes eliminate scale build up, and the elasticity of pipes such as Layflat reduces the likelihood of outside drainage pipes bursting in freezing conditions. All of Speedfit’s second—fix products have been passed for multiple hot and cold-water systems, complying with all relevant standards. For installers and customers, this means long-term reliability and a great job first time, every time.

They say there are three things guaranteed in life; death, taxes and change. While you may not want to embrace the first two, accepting the third and embracing plastic push-fits can result in easier, faster, and more effective second-fix plumbing projects.

Contact us

We’d love to see some pictures of your recent bathroom installations. Tweet us @jgspeedfit and share your photos.